The Save Fortune Theatre meeting organiser Sarah Latta said she was impressed by the groundswell of support for preserving professional arts.

"I don't know what the way forward is going to be, right now it is not for me to decide. But I do believe there is hope there, even if the building is left behind, there will still be something in Dunedin."

Ms Latta said she was heartened by the depth of feeling and ideas.

"I feel like everyone is feeling a bit of grief in their heart for Fortune, even though the Fortune Theatre was never about the building, it was about the family and the production involved. Action needs to be taken, whatever that is."